Orioles DFA Mac Sceroler and select Mickey Jannis' contract

The Orioles have cut ties with Rule 5 pitcher Mac Sceroler.

The club designated Sceroler for assignment this afternoon and selected the contract of knuckleballer Mickey Jannis from Triple-A Norfolk. Jannis is wearing No. 76, a first in team history, and waiting to make his major league debut.

Sceroler, the nephew of former Orioles pitcher and current MASN analyst Ben McDonald, made five appearances and allowed 12 earned runs (15 total) and 15 hits in 7 2/3 innings. He walked seven batters, struck out 11 and surrendered six home runs.

Work was sporadic for Sceroler, chosen from the Reds organization in the Winter Meetings. He made his major league debut on April 5 at Yankee Stadium, missed two months with shoulder tendinitis and pitched in three games in June.

Manager Brandon Hyde tried to find lower-leverage situations for Sceroler, who was making the jump from high Single-A to the majors.

The three runs off Sceroler last night in the eighth inning, which included a 41-minute rain delay, were unearned following shortstop Freddy Galvis' throwing error. His ERA dropped from 16.20 to 14.09.

Sceroler must be offered back to the Reds if he clears waivers.

Rule 5 pitcher Tyler Wells, selected from the Twins organization in the same draft, remains with the Orioles and has earned opportunities in tight games.

Jannis, 33, would be the 41st player to appear in a game with the Orioles this season. He signed another minor league deal in late October after pitching in independent ball from 2012-2015 and later joining the Mets organization.

In seven games with Norfolk, Jannis allowed eight earned runs (10 total) and 21 hits with 10 walks and 13 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings. He hasn't pitched since Thursday against Durham, when he gave up two runs - including his only homer - in five innings.

Jannis tossed five perfect relief innings for the Tides on May 20 in Jacksonville, but lost in the 10th when the automatic runner scored after a sacrifice bunt and a fly ball.

A 44th-round pick of the Rays in 2010, Jannis will throw the knuckler about 80 percent of the time and also mix in a fastball and slider. His signature pitch can be clocked in the low 60s but also climb into the 80s.

Jannis can become the eighth Orioles player to make his major league debut this season, which would be the most in the American League and tied with the Marlins for the most in the majors.

At 33 years and 188 days old, Jannis would be the third-oldest Oriole to make his debut per the Elias Sports Bureau. Jay Heard was 34 years and 97 days on April 24, 1954, and Koji Uehara was 34 years and five days on April 8, 2009.

Jannis would be the ninth Oriole to debut in his 30s.

Left-hander Bruce Zimmermann could miss another two to three weeks while on the injured list with left biceps tendinitis.

Zimmermann was placed on the IL four days ago. He worked 5 2/3 innings on June 13 against the Rays at Tropicana Field, allowing three runs to keep his ERA at 4.83.

Hyde said Zimmermann was a little sore after the outing and felt more discomfort later in the week while playing catch. The move was described as precautionary, but he now could remain out until the All-Star break.

Left-hander John Means also could miss the rest of the first half with a strained left shoulder. The rotation consists of Matt Harvey, Jorge López, Thomas Eshelman, and rookies Dean Kremer and Keegan Akin.

Reliever César Valdez went on the 10-day IL yesterday with a strained muscle in his lower back. He's carrying a 5.74 ERA and 1.650 WHIP in 25 appearances and 26 2/3 innings after allowing two more runs Sunday afternoon.

"He went in the training room after the game," Hyde said. "He's been getting a little bit of treatment on it, so I think the back has been maybe not 100 percent, but he's been pitching, he felt good enough to pitch. It just grabbed on him a little bit during that last outing.

"I wouldn't expect it to be too long of an IL stint. He's feeling better since Sunday, so maybe 10 days to two weeks hopefully."

Outfielder Anthony Santander is out for the second straight game with a sore left ankle, but can play if needed.

"He does feel a little bit better today, so he should be available off the bench," Hyde said.

"We'll see how he feels tomorrow."

The Orioles released Double-A Bowie outfielder Jaylen Ferguson, a ninth-round pick in the 2015 draft who was batting .150/.235/.535 in 28 games. The move appeared in Baseball America's minor league transactions.